Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) took a phone call from Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Sunday, and they reportedly discussed lowering taxes on the island’s residents.
Lai stopped in Hawaii this weekend on his way to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, three countries that have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. His warm welcome to the United States by Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) and Reps. Ed Case (D-HI) and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) were “strongly condemned” by Beijing. Pelosi, however, was phoned as an “old friend” to Lai from her 2022 visit to Taiwan.
They discussed correcting the double taxation of the Taiwanese as the island does not have formal diplomatic relations with the U.S., meaning there is no tax agreement. According to the U.S. Treasury, the double taxation is under negotiation.
While Lai reportedly called several senior politicians, Pelosi was the only one named by the president’s spokeswoman Karen Kuo. The former speaker of the House welcomed Lai to the U.S. over the phone and congratulated his win in January’s election.
Kuo quoted Pelosi saying the consequences of losing Taiwan were unimaginable. Pelosi said she supported Taiwanese representation in international organizations, specifically citing the World Health Organization.
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The State Department is fresh from authorizing the sale of F-16 fighter components, radars, and other equipment to Taiwan. This was also condemned by China, which promised countermeasures to the sale.
Lai’s trip to Hawaii came via an escort of F-16 fighter jets.
